Police: Suffern couple killed uncle before jumping off GWB

SUFFERN, N.Y. — A Suffern couple killed a family member before jumping off the George Washington Bridge, police said.

William Valenti, 70, was found dead by a relative Monday afternoon in his Suffern home, Suffern Police Chief Clarke Osborn said at a press conference Wednesday morning.

Valenti was living with his niece, Nicki Hunt-Circelli, 40, and her boyfriend Gary Crockett, 41. Police learned that the three had been in a dispute after Hunt-Circelli and Crockett withdrew between $1,000 and $1,500 from Valenti’s bank account without his permission, Osborn said.

When they found Valenti’s body, police also discovered note at the scene that led police to believe Hunt-Circelli and Crockett may have committed suicide. Valenti’s car was missing.

On Tuesday, Suffern Police traveled to the New York City morgue, where they identified the bodies of the couple as Hunt-Circelli and Crockett. Police also found the key to Valenti’s vehicle Tuesday on Hunt-Circelli's body, though the vehicle itself is still missing.

“It basically just took a hunch,” Osborn said.

The Rockland County Medical Examiner has determined that Valenti’s death was a homicide by asphyxiation.

“The investigation is continuing, but at this time, we believe that Hunt and Crockett are responsible for the death of William Valenti,” Osborn said.

Hunt-Circelli and Crockett both have criminal records. Hunt-Circelli had previously been charged in Orange County, N.Y., with larceny and forgery, and Crockett had been charged with narcotics possession, Osborn said.

There was some indication that the couple didn’t want anyone to find Valenti’s body. Police found a note on the backdoor that said they had taken Valenti to the hospital, Osborn said.

“Obviously they did not want us to go into the house,” he said.

Osborn wouldn’t elaborate on what led police to believe the note Hunt-Circelli and Crockett left inside the house was a suicide note. He also couldn’t say how Valenti suffocated to death. Because both are dead, police may never be able to answer some questions about Valenti’s death, Osborn said.

There have been no homicides in Suffern for more than a decade. The community was shocked by the news, Osborn said.

“This is a family matter that just unfortunately took a bad turn,” he said.